Tobacco pipe



Sept. 20, 1932. H, M. MCCLURE 1,878,506

TOBACCO. PIPE Filed Sept. 16, 1931 drawn into the mouth -of the smoker.

Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED S-rmts ParamoFflci HUGH M. MCCLU-E, on KEARNEY, NEBRASKA r Application fi1a Septeinber 16,'l931. SeraLNo. 563,041.

My invention relates to tobacco pipes-and has for its object to providdan extremely simple and highly eificient tubular strainer of novel construction that is adjustable in diameter and p1ierabl also-in length so that it can be used in pipes haVi1ig stem pas sages of difierent lengths and diameter. This improved-tubular Stem also involves not only the above but other important n0vel features, as Wlll hereinafter fully appear in conneCtion with the description of the draW- ings WhiCh illustrate the preferred form 01" the invention applied in a pipe.

The general purpose of tubulrstrainers in smoking Pipes is well knownand generally stated, is' to intercept the heavy tobacco juices and prevent the same from being y improved tubular strainer accomPlishes this general result and other desirable actions, certain of WhiCh have been above noted and others of which Will presently appear.

In the acconipanying drawing, Which il lustrates the invention like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows an ordinary tobacco pipe in axial section with one of my improved tubular strainers applied therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectiontaken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the improved tubular strainer turned upside thesame radially expansible and contractible and preferably. and as shown, it is split from end to end. This tubular Strainer is .preferably made from thin sheetmetal bent to the form,-' best shown, and having considerable resilience so that it may be sprung or con- '55 tracted t0 decreasirig diameterand hence inserted into the aligned axial passages of a pipe niouth piece stem and bowl. In practice, the tubular strainer Will be made of such great normal diameterthat' it Will be large 10 enongh for pipes having What is assumed to be the maximum size of air passage and such beingthe; case, it can, of course, be s'piung into and made to fit pipes havifig smaller passages Of course, the said split or slit tubular str'ainen er is diarhetrically expansibl as Well as contractible. The innerend of the split tube 10, at its under side, is'beveled at 12 so that it Will fit the rounded bottoni of the pipe bbwl and in the top0f its innei end portion it is 73 formed with a plralityof air passages 13 that are preferably 1elatively long slots, which Will freely pass the air and smoke but Will intercept tobacc0particles that are OIE such siz that would be likely toclog or stop 15 the air passage through the strainer. The top of the central portion of thetubular strainer 10is opened up by a long slotforming notch 10 This strainer is arranged to be applied in the pipe With its slot 11 at 0 the bottom so that not only smoke but the drippings0r condensed moistur Will' corne into direct contact with the wood o f the pipe during the passage of the. smoke from the bowl and so that the drippings or condenSed 35 moisture Will drop into a sump or pocl:et 9 formed in the stemof the pipe bowl 7 inward of that portion' of the mouth ,piece 8 that is telescoped into saidstem. Also itis importantto note that when the strainer is aPplied, the long top notch 10 leads from a point close to the perforations 13 into the said smp or pocket 9 thereby giving an extended contactof the smokwWi-th the wood of thebowl 5 and proViding a second ree passage into the sump or pocket 9". Thesefeatureshaize the effect of cooling the smoke and permitting the condehsed moisture which gathers in the tube to escape downward when it is dropped into the sump or bowl where it is trapped.

The adjustabflity of the split tubular stem, abve described, is such that it Will 1eadily fit not only old favored pipes butvarious pipes having differemt bore's. To make the tubular strainer further adjustable so that it Will be adapted for pipes having stems 0f different1engths,itis formed with notches 14 at the edges of its extended end, which weakens the tube. so that sections there0f may be readily broken ofi by bending.

It is the primaryintention of this invention to provide an adjustable tubular pipe strainer that may .be' sold or disp0sed of in itsel for applications of pipes already in use or for pipeshaving no strainers or strainers 0f less efliciency but it Will, of course, be understood that it is my desire t0 cover the same whether sold independenfly or in connection with tobacco pipes.

In view of the resilience in the split tubular strainer, it is evident that it Will snugly fit the bore of any pipe in which it is inserted but, 11everthele5s, it may be readi1y inserted orwithdrawn for the purpose of cleaning the same. In actual-practice, the efliciency of the improved pipe strainer has been thoroughly demonstrated. V

In the preferred arrangement, the slotsl3 in the inner end 01 the strainer tube are 0bliquely set, but in Fig. 7, the SILlDQI is shown as provided with axially eXtended slots 13 Vhat I claim is:

1. A. longitudinafly split tubular pipe strainer that is longitudinafly' expansible and Contractible t0 vary its diameter.

2. A longitudinally split tubular pipe strainer that is longitudinally expansible and contractible to varyits diameter, said tubular strainer, at its inner end portion, haVing airpassages adapted to be exposed to the downdraft of the pipe in Which it is applied. 3. A longitudinally split tubular pipe strainer that is longitudinally expansible and contractible to vary its diameter, said tubular strainer, at its extended end, having n0tches chat weaken the same so-that sections there0f may be broken off to vary its length.

4. A longitudinally split tubular pipe strainer that .is longitudinally expansible and contractible t0 vary its diameter,said tublar strainer, at its inner end portion, having air passages adapted to be exposed to the downdraft of the pipe in which it is apend, having notches that weake1the same so that sections thereof may be broken ofi to vary its length.

strainer, at its inner end portion, having air passages adapced tobe exposed to the downdraft'of the pipe in which it is applied, the

slit of said tube being at the' normal bottom thereof and said tube in the top of its intermediat e portion having a longitudinaHy eX- tendednotching afiording an air passage.

7, The combination with a pipe bowl having a tubular Stem and mouthpie, of a tubular strainer applied in said stem, and having a longitudinal slit in its bott0m, and airpassagesin the top of its inner end portion,said tubular stem adjacent its junction With said mouth piece having a pocket or sump for condensed moisture and with which the-slit in saidtube communicas. 7

' 8. The'combinacion witha pipe bowl havplied, said tubulr strainer, at its extended straner that is longitudinafly expansible and contractible t0 vary its diameter, said tubular 

